Posted by:
shadowguy
at Mon Jan 2 22:59:13 2012 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by shadowguy ]
Have access to a microscope? Doesn't have to be the most exotic of same. If you can squeeze out some liqid/fece combination. Put it on a slide and apply a cover slip. A mid-level magnification is fine to view. If protozoans are present you'll see what looks like total chaos as they use there "tails" to propel around in all directions. The same can be done at any vet office; It doesn't need to be a "reptile vet". "Flagyl" is a brand name for metronidazole.. You can get it over the counter where tropical fish medications are sold though it won't be labeled as "Flagyl". It is sold in a sugar laced liquid form in Mexico, as it is used to treat diarrhea caused by protozoans in the food/ water(think Montezuma's Revenge). That is normally a 250mg per teaspoon dosage... humans get three teaspoons a day. Going back to the pills.. crush one and perhaps seperate the powder into quarters (if the pill is 250mg). Place in water and introduce same into snake via a small feeding tube, "pinky pump" or similer. Avoid tilting snake downward at the outset so the fluid doesn't simply run back out. Generally administration would be done two or three times a week apart to catch any "blooms" that might reoccur. Make sure any water bowls are sterilyzed and be wary of food that might carry the protozoans in their gut. This sounds daunting but really there's not much to it. Many animals carry them asymptomatically, lizards in particular. An interesting sidenote; In the 80's many animal keepers swore by Flagyl as being a appetite stimulant and would administer it regardless of adverse symptoms. I'm sure Google would reveal volumes on it. Make sure of course that they have adequate cool and warm zones to rotate through as too much or too little heat will negatively affect digestion. In lizards one can gather saliva from the mouth that will yield protozoa if present but snake physiology would make that more difficult. You can introduce a small amount of sterile water into the lower intestine and then express it to gain a sample for viewing by yourself or any vet (if none seems available). Most vet techs have practice since they look at fecal samples looking for worm eggs. Mites can also transmit protozoans... Good luck
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RE: Bulls fail to thrive... - shadowguy, Mon Jan 2 22:59:13 2012